Broome County Taking NYC To Court Over SOTA Program

DSS officials in New York City are denying claims that they've done anything illegal through the Special One Time Assistance Program after Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said their actions of sending homeless families to Broome is against the law.

New York City Department of Social Services Commissioner, Steven Banks, sent a letter to Broome County Department of Social Services Commissioner, Nancy Williams, saying that the allegations are "patently false", and that they never broke the law.

In a press conference last week, Garnar, alongside Williams, said DSS uncovered five families living in Broome County who had been sent from New York City through the SOTA program. They were uncovered when DSS noticed the families didn't need rent assistance, as NYC had paid their first-year's rent through the program.

Banks said in his letter that 20 families, 53 individuals in total, were found in their system with a last known residence in Broome County. Adding that those families exercised their "right to travel outside of Broome County".

Banks ended his letter by saying his DSS office is available to discuss the situation with Broome County's DSS, as they have been "since you first brought this to our attention before you chose to attack these families and a program designed to help them in your media blitz."

Garnar responded to the letter on Tuesday by saying in a statement:

“It is clear New York City has no intent to stop sending people to Broome County through this cynical and illegal program. We will see them in court.”